Mateen Cleaves' number will be retired by Michigan State on Saturday. The point guard hopes to return to the NBA. "I'm gonna try to make another push for the NBA," said Cleaves, who spent six seasons in the NBA before heading overseas in the fall. "I'm definitely healthy and probably in the best shape I've been in. My weight's 196 pounds, I haven't been under 200 in I don't know how long."http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives...for_nba_return/Can he come back and actually be good?
He was a great player to watch with Michigan State. I can't believe that he didn't turn out to be a better pro...he was my favorite college player.
Cleaves is a stud. But, I don't know if he will live up to potential. I think he finally realizes that the NBA is so much more different than NCAA. You can't run all of the time. There is a hell of a lot more competition. You need to watch what you eat and where you go. I don't think he will reach his potential. He's not old yet, but he doesn't have what it takes to be a good NBA player.
This would be a good story to see if Cleaves could come back man at Michigan State he was really fun and and exciting player to watch but he never really lived up to his potential in the NBA. He is saying now that he is the best shape of his life so maybe he can come back and play in the NBA.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SunnyD @ Feb 2 2007, 06:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Cleaves is a stud. But, I don't know if he will live up to potential. I think he finally realizes that the NBA is so much more different than NCAA. You can't run all of the time. There is a hell of a lot more competition. You need to watch what you eat and where you go. I don't think he will reach his potential. He's not old yet, but he doesn't have what it takes to be a good NBA player.</div>Agreed. I really like Mateen when he played with Michigan state, I thought he was going to be good but I guess he lacked the work ethic. I wish him all the luck though with coming back.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MaRdYC26 @ Feb 2 2007, 06:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I was thinking about this dude the other day, he just like....disappeared. lol.</div>I know what you mean. It seemed like he dropped off the face of the planet. It is good to see him trying to come back to the NBA.
He's at best a 3rd string PG. He never had much potential coming out of Michigan State. He will never be in a NBA teams rotation again in his career. He's just not that good. He was a solid, smart player at MSU and had a lot of very good players around him, in the NBA he does nothing that stands out or nothing above average.
He was a great player, one of the four or five 'Flintstones' at MSU (including Morris Peterson and Charlie Bell), but he didn't adjust, and never will now.
I really dont think he would be able to come back in to the leage and do anything special. He is a very short player, he isnt all that athletic, he is overweight, and he hasnt lived up to what he could have been. Maybe playing overseas has gotten him better because he has actually gotten to play in games at a high level, but I highly doubt anything good will happen to him in the NBA. He just isnt good enough...
